He made interesting observations regarding Polish Jews (from page 134):
As the Jews marry when they are still almost children, they are soon surrounded by a numerous progeny. Their number shows an incredible increase.
An eight of the Polish population consists of Jews.
Their costume is the same everywhere, and quite Oriental, flowing black garments fastened as far as the waist with many hooks, and reaching to the ankles, high fur caps, worn even in summer, and under them a black cap, their heads shaved with the exception of two long ringlets on each side, and long beards. Except when travelling they wear slippers; their custome, the great poverty of the majority, their uncleanliness, render their appearance more conspicuous than agreeable.
All Jews, even those in Lithuania speak German,
The majority also speak Hebrew,
A stranger is astonished at the number of those people, who sit idle before their doors in the sun and converse with the vivacity of gesture and expression, which is peculiar to their race.
Thousands of them are found unemployed, and yet they exist.
The inns everywhere belong to the Jews.
The Jews derive still greater advantages from the fact, that it is they that first give a value to the produce of the land, which they work for the owner or turn to money. The mills, distilleries, public-houses are inexhaustible sources of wealth, and the whole produce of the estate often passes through the hands of the Jews. From the Jew who has rented a village public-house the landlord obtains most of his income. This Jew, on whom he knows he can safely vent his ill-humour, and with whom he cannot dispense, receives from him the chief power over the peasanty without mercy, and without consideration for the oppression which such a man will exercise. All his purchases are made through the Jews.
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